Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-12-30

SklrIS, unen III use, OF saddles. Ii TIL
owner of such saddle did not speed
lily utilize its heavy flaps for his owl
use some one else would steal them
Shoeless men could not resist tn,
temptation of such a saddle, and in.
stances were frequent where the owner
having left his horse saddled and tied
to post, returned to find his saddle
innocent of skirts. Such thefts oc-
Cured even outside of churches. The
flap of the saddle went out of use, and
the rawhide saddle without it came in
use universally. Sole leather became
so scarce and high that the people
resorted to wood as a substitute for
the soles of shoes. These wooden
bottoms" as they were called, con
sisted of sole and heel all in a
solid piece. 1t was cut out of maple
or gum wood as rule, sometimes with
a knife, again by rude machinery.
Later such wood Bottoms were sold by
a number of expert makers, who kept
on hand various sizes of mems we ar
Farm hands wore them largely. From
The middle the sole turned up toward
the toe, so that the foot in walking
would have rolling motion forward,
which was necessary. as the rigid sole
could not bend. Into a groove cut
around the upper edge of the wooden
bottom the upper leather was secured
by means of wooden pegs or iron tacks,
when the latter could be had. 1t was
H., L
dry, warm shoe, and after little
practice one was worn without special
Inconvenience. The heel and sole
were always protected by narrow
strips of iron around the edges to pre-
vent rapid wear The shoes made a
great deal Of noise when used in the
house or on hard ground, and n nights
when there was stiffness in the air
and the ground was frozen hard, the
footsteps of brisk walkers thus shoi
were easily heard at a distance of half
a mile. Old men had difficulty in get-
ting accustomed to this rude and new
footgear. and one venerable man de-
clared that he wished the Cpl acued
things had never been agitated." In
snow walking with these shoes was
difficult, as the snow "balled' as it
does in a horses hoof
Kerosene oil had not been In use a
great while when the war began, but
had yet practically displaced the cam
die. Tho lack of oil rendered the
lamps useless, and the tallow candle
became supreme. In the matter of
light as in other things, there were
Inventions. One of these was a taper,
which was made by drawing thick
wick of loosely twisted cotton through
a pan OF melted beeswax and rosin.
This operation was repeated until the
wick, which was generally twenty to
fifty yards in length. was the size of
pencil and looked like a rope of yellow
wax While it was yet warm, this wick
was wound on a bottle or corn
cob often in fantastic shapes. One
end turned up, was lighted, and the
taper was placed upon the table at
supper time, or for reading light.
Such taper burned slowly, but yet
had to be watched and turned up.
From time to time the burning end
was unwound and pulled up. Some
times there was carelessness and the
entire taper caught on fire from the
wick. Another device for light was a
saucer or platter of melted lard, in
which floated ball from the sycamore
Or cotton wood tree. These balls,
which were dry and absorbent and
quite infammable, burned readily, act
ing as wick and keeping the lard
melted. One ball gave fully as much
light as an ordinary kerosene lamp.
The tallow dip, the wax taper and the
candle each had their advocates.
Other people, who desired moro pow
erful illumination, returned to an even
more primitive custom and use pine
knots, which in the fireplace made a
glare which made room all ablaze
with light.
People. in the country, particular
ly, were put to great straits for writ
ing paper and envelopes. All old let
ters were resurrected. and all extra
sheets of paper removed therefrom.
Old letters written on one side of the
paper were again brought out, and
the other side used Old books were
cut up, and the paper taken for this
purpose. Envelopes were cut out of
any kind of paper by the use of a
sharp knife and wooden pattern.
Cherry tree or peach tree gum furn-
ished the mucilage being dissolved in
vinegar. These envelopes were often
made by children. and sold at from
three dollars to six dollars per pack
in Confederate or State currency.
Many letters were mailed in the old
style of century since. without en-
velopes. Goose quilts furnished pens,
as of yore, and buzzard and turkey
quilts were also used. Polkberries,
elderberries and tho gals of the red
oak tree furnished ink, coperas being
used in the solution. Sharpened bars